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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · track · rule · lash · stock · root · game · rush

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. track — a song
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. root — the cause
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rule — government
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stock — goods
  16. game — a match
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. track — a path

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com